Social Democratic Party of Wizlandia

Social Democratic Party
Abbreviation	SDP
Leader	Louise Bailey (Lieutenant Executive)
Deputy Leader	Stephen Douglas (SDP Senate Leader)
Founded	2012
Newspaper	The Progressive Tribune
Think tank	Centre for Progressive Policy
Youth wing	Young Democrats
Ideology	Social Democracy Cultural Progressivism
Political position	Centre-Left
European affiliation	Party of European Socialists (Observing Member)
International affiliation	Progressive Alliance Socialist International
Colors	Crimson
Slogan	"A fairer way forward."
House of Commons	211 / 800
Senate	35 / 120
State Legislatures	1,301 / 4,682
Political parties

The Social Democratic Party, abbreviated SDP, is one of the three major contemporary political parties of Wizlandia, along with its main political rivals the Liberal Party and the National Party. It is currently in a coalition government with the Liberal Party.

The Social Democratic Party ideology is Social Democracy and Cultural Progressivism. On economic issues the Social Democratic Party favours a heavily regulated market economy with an expansive progressive tax system, and have supported policies such as raising income taxes, implementing corporate taxes, creating a minimum-wage, establishing small tariffs on foreign manufacturing, a green energy federal jobs program to combat climate change, increasing state-funded welfare, and expanding public healthcare benefits, with some also supporting moving from the Universal Catastrophic Coverage system to a free at the point of use Single-Payer system. On cultural issues, the Social Democratic Party leans towards cultural progressivism, favouring a rehabilitation-oriented crime policy, freedom of association, is supportive of gay marriage, and is against drug criminalisation, but opposes the legalisation of prostitution, and supports affirmative action and an active state social policy to achieve social justice. The majority of Social Democrats support nuclear disarmament and a multilateral approach to achieve foreign policy goals, and are in favour of continued membership in supranational organisations such as the World Assembly.

Political Positions

Constitution

The Social Democratic Party opposed the passage of the Constitution of Wizlandia in 2013, citing various provisions as "anti-democratic" and attempting to institutionalise liberal policy. While the party initially called for the Constitution to be repealed in its entirety, the success of Wizlandia under the Constitution made this position a losing proposition amongst voters, and they now adopt a reformist position. The party supports amendments that would decrease the three-fifths supermajority required to pass most bills to a simple majority, weaken the right to free speech, limit campaign spending, and eliminate all provisions restricting the size of the federal government and the taxes it can levy.

Economics

The Social Democratic Party support a heavily regulated mixed-economy, and favour fair trade, a medium to large welfare state, and increasing spending on public healthcare, which would be funded by an increase in the income, capital gains and value-added taxes, in addition to creating a 30% corporate tax rate. In addition, Social Democrats support various market interventions in order to help the working class, including establishing a W10 minimum wage, legalising the use of Union Security Agreements, and more stringent labour market regulations. Some more left-wing factions of the Social Democratic Party also support a economic protectionism, a 2% wealth tax, 60% tax rate for multimillionaires, mandatory unionisation in large firms and a cap on CEO pay, although the larger and more liberal New Democrat faction oppose such market interventions.

Foreign Policy

The Social Democratic Party are centrist on the dove-hawk spectrum. The party is supportive of NATO and of sanctions against foreign officials that engage in human-rights abuses, but they tend to oppose military action such as the American intervention in Syria, and the party has refused to recognise either Juan Guaidó or Nicolás Maduro as the President of Venenzuela. Historically, the Social Democratic Party supported protectionist policies, although over time the party has accepted the economic consensus on free trade and have become more supportive of free trade agreements, though they insist that such agreements must include environmental and labour protections. The Social Democratic Party support unilateral nuclear disarmament, and have publicly declared that they would never press the nuclear button if in office. This position has led to heavy criticism by the Liberal Party, the National Party, and the Civic Alliance, who have described such statements as very irresponsible.